Bob Dole: “as anticipated today, President Clinton, in a ceremony at the White House, announced that he was taking steps to…”

“as anticipated today, President Clinton, in a ceremony at the White House, announced that he was taking steps to normalize U.S. diplomatic relations with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. In his statement, President Clinton cited progress in POW/MIA cooperation. But, unfortunately the President did not address the central issue, and that is, does Vietnam continue to withhold information and remains which could easily be provided? The President ignored this question in announcing his decision, for the very good reason that all signs point to Vietnam willfully withholding information which could resolve the fate of many Americans lost in the war. On Veterans Day in 1992, President-elect Clinton stated, "There will be no normalization of relations with any nation that is at all suspected of withholding any information." That was President-elect Clinton's standard. The standard was not simply cooperation. The standard was not simply allowing field operations. The 1992 standard was at all suspected of withholding any information. No normalization if there is any suspicion of any withholding of any information. By 1994, the standard has clearly changed from suspected of withholding information to selective cooperation.…”